LGBT Organizations United for Marriage

About LGBT Organizations United for Marriage

Oregon United for Marriage believes marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together. We believe in an Oregon that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters. To all Oregonians.

As organizations representing the diverse LGBT community, we are proud to join in this effort. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people come from a diversity of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, political and other backgrounds, and many people have multiple identities. This coalition campaign is committed to winning the freedom to marry while embracing our diversity, respecting one another and ourselves, developing new leaders and strengthening the communities at the intersection of multiple movements.

We value the diversity and richness of our LGBT and allied communities. Our campaign endeavors to embody who we are: a vibrant fabric of communities and identities whose fates are linked in the struggle to achieve true equity and justice.

Why LGBT organizations support the freedom to marry

Winning the freedom to marry for all Oregonians

Same-sex couples in Oregon pay taxes, vote, serve in the military and run small businesses. They work hard and pay into the same system as everyone else, and they should have the same freedom to marry that other couples have. The freedom to marry the person you love is a basic freedom that should not be denied to anyone. None of us would want to be told that it is illegal to marry the person we love.

Strengthening the broader movement for equality

We are committed to extending the freedom to marry to all loving, committed couples in Oregon. And there is much more to do to ensure that all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Oregonians experience equality. This coalition effort to secure the freedom to marry will also build and strengthen the broader movement for LGBT equality, by running an inclusive campaign that addresses the needs of transgender families, LGBT families of color and young people.

LGBT organizations supporting the freedom to marry

Q Center provides a safe space to support and celebrate LGBTQ diversity, visibility and community building in Oregon, SW Washington and the world through four core program areas: Advocacy, Education & Training, Arts & Culture, and Health & Wellness. Q Center builds public awareness and support of LGBTQ issues, and it celebrates diversity through art, culture, and collaborative community programming. Read more.

Basic Rights Oregon has long been Oregon’s chief advocacy, education and political organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Since 1996, the nonprofit has led efforts to increase public support, achieve policy victories and build a politically-powerful, broad and inclusive movement for gay and transgender Oregonians. Read more.